Who I Am
by AllyBabyPebbles
Summary: One shot. Draco puts his witch's love to the test; hoping she can overcome who he is and stay with him.


"This is who I am!' Draco yelled across the vast foyer, his eyes dark and face reddened with anger, "I am the heir to a noble house of purebloods, I am the son of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black. Two honored and long-lived families of blood purist bigots with vast wealth." His voice shook with passion as he walked through the halls and rooms of Malfoy manner, caressing the worldly goods of his forefathers, knowing she would follow in his wake, "If you want me, then you must be able to accept this part of me! I will take over for my father, and this will be my home, and any witch that wishes to be by my side must do so here: live here, in this house, my ancestral home, and any children I have the honor of fathering will grow here, just as I did, just as my father did." Draco opened one final door with a flourish, entering the dining hall that held so many painful, bitter memories, "Once I am officially Lord Malfoy, I will move into this house, I will dine in this hall. If you truly wish to call me yours, then you must agree to this. I know that the name Malfoy has been drug through the mud by my father's actions, and I know that this house does not hold happy memories for you, or for most people. But what those looking in have never known is that this house once held copious amounts of joy, of love, laughter, it wasn't always so dark…yes, it has been tainted, much like myself, by the darkness that was Voldemort, but this is my home, this is my family, this is me. And there is good here, just as there is the good you see in me." Draco stopped talking, and stood silently, proudly against the mantle of the fireplace. Watching her through eyes the color of a stormy sky. Waiting to see if she could truly accept all that he was, all that his life would be, and hopefully all that hers could be too.

"Draco, my fierce, proud, beautiful…and vastly stupid man." She croaked out through tears.

"Stupid…did you just call me stupid Hermione?" Draco was baffled, there were tears but not the kind he had expected, she was laughing at him. Like red in the face from holding in the sound, laughing at him.

"Draco, my dragon. You were always second best in our year." She smirked befitting her love's last name, her eyes glistening in the firelight, "I know who you are, and I would never ask you to give up your name or your family. I may not love this place, and I may not know what good times have been here, especially this room" she shivered, rubbing her hand across her arm subconsciously, "but I do know that for you to be the sweet, beautiful person that I have come to know, there must have been good here. I will gladly, and proudly walk these halls, and I hope to help you carry on that honorable name of yours, and of course I know that you will take your place here as the head of the House of Malfoy. I love you, you stupid man. Don't ever doubt that I will be here with you. We will once again fill these halls with laughter, with love, and with light. Our children will grow here, happy and spoiled just as you were. Together we will wash away the taint of Voldemort and bring the name Malfoy into the light it so deserves."

Draco was shocked into silence, he had thought she would run from him, or from his family name at least. How could she wish to be with him still, knowing that she would have to live here in this hated place, to be a part of the elitist circle that came with his name, that had allowed a war to be raged over something so stupid as blood. He quickly decided that the how and why didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was standing there, looking at him with big, caramel eyes waiting for him to respond. He swooped her into his arms and laughed as she squeaked. His proud little Gryffindor, his fierce lioness, God how he loved her. He would always love this woman, and he hoped that together they would bring love and happiness back to the hallowed halls of Malfoy Manor.

"You mentioned children, care to start practicing?" He whispered against the shell of her ear.

"Oh," breathlessly she wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his silken hair and giggled mischeviously, "Take me to be Lord Malfoy, heir to the most noble house. Take me to bed."


End file.
